This nurse got trapped in an MRI machine in terrifying accident: Suffers 'crushing injuries'

Hospitals and laboratories are usually the last bastion of hope for people suffering from physical discomfort or ailments. Sometimes the findings are truly remarkable, like in one instance, doctors discovered a living thing in a woman's ear canal. In another case, during a brain scan, doctors found out a 3cm long needle in woman's brain, lodged for 80 years.

However, sometimes hospitals could themselves be responsible for a patient's affliction. Like, in one case doctors left an object the size of a 'dinner plate' inside a woman's stomach after an operation. Now, in another case of medical accident, as reported by New York Post, a nurse got trapped in an MRI machine in a freak incident, leaving her with serious injuries.

Nurse trapped by MRI machine

Nurse Ainah Cervantes worked for Redwood City operated by California-based Kaiser Permanente. She was attending to a patient in a room with an MRI machine. All of a sudden, the MRI machine emitted such a strong magnetic force, that it pulled the patient's bed towards it.

The patient fell from the bed and luckily, was left without any injuries. However, Cervantes got stuck between the front of the tube-shaped MRI machine and the bed.

Cervantes described the ordeal in a report by the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA),

I was getting pushed by the bed.

Basically, I was running backwards. If I didn’t run, the bed would smash me underneath.

Nurse suffers from severe injuries from MRI mishap

Cervantes was left with a severe laceration that required surgery. Tobias Gilk, an MRI expert, explains just how dangerous the MRI machines can be. He informs,

It keeps pulling and pulling and pulling, squeezing to try to get the magnetically attracted object closer to, in contact with the MRI scanner itself.

Sheila Gilson, senior vice president for Kaiser Permanente San Mateo says, the people involved 'immediately received the care and support they needed.'

Investigators have pointed out several safety breaches on part of the hospital, in handling the MRI machines. They found that not only were there were no MRI personnel present during the incident, hospital employees also did not receive adequate safety training to use the MRI machines.

As a result of the incident, and the findings, Cal/OSHA has now placed a $18,000 fine on Kaiser Permanente.

Read more:

⋙ Woman dies after ‘pins and needles’ turn out to be brain cancer

⋙ Woman who thought she had the flu ends up hospitalized for something much worse

⋙ Boy went to hospital complaining of eye pain, what doctors found under his eyelid will shock you

Sources used:

New York Post: ' MRI machine traps nurse in freak accident'